The Kirkus Prize is one of the richest literary awards in the world, with a prize of $50,000 bestowed annually to authors of fiction, nonfiction and young readers’ literature. It was created to celebrate the 81 years of discerning, thoughtful criticism Kirkus Reviews has contributed to both the publishing industry and readers at large. Books that earned the Kirkus Star with publication dates between November 1, 2014, and October 31, 2015, are automatically nominated for the 2015 Kirkus Prize, and the winners will be selected on October 23, 2015, by an esteemed panel composed of nationally respected writers and highly regarded booksellers, librarians and Kirkus critics.

KIRKUS REVIEW

Hidden treasure, a young girl on the run and revenge-minded scoundrels with itchy trigger fingers populate Robert’s (Treasure at El Dorado, 2011) second Western novel.

While evading a band of Apaches in the Sonoran Desert, Bo Logan stumbles upon a hidden valley with a cabin and a productive gold mine. He also discovers letters; unsure of what’s happened to the miner, Bo takes it upon himself to locate the man’s daughter, Bonnie. The girl, meanwhile, manages to escape the atrocious confines of a workhouse and begins a demanding journey to find her father, Tom. A deadly encounter in a saloon has the villainous John Skinner and his men on Bo’s trail, too. Roberts’ book has all the indications of a Western—strength is measured by how quickly a man can draw his gun—but it’s the dramatic resolve that truly drives the story. Bo in particular is literally surrounded by narrative stimuli: Bonnie somewhere ahead of him; Mary, a cafe owner in Tucson who catches Bo’s eye and heart; and the men behind him who would very much prefer him dead. The storyline benefits from its colorful cast of characters, including an undercover U.S. Marshal and a dirty sheriff. A variety of motives propel them: Bo and Bonnie searching separately for Bonnie’s father, an Apache man looking for his wife’s killer, and a greedy professor from Bonnie’s old school with a one-track mind for profits. Bonnie’s trek makes up the majority of the novel’s more profound passages in a plot thread that is also frequently woeful; fortunately, Roberts eases the tension with welcome bits of comic relief, e.g., Bonnie, posing as a boy, standing in the wrong line for the restroom. Notably, Roberts allows the narrative twist to slowly build and naturally reveal itself, without nudging or eye-winking.

Fans of the Western genre are sure to find much to love, but the appealing story and characters could also appease all types of readers.

Be the first to discover new talent!
Each week, our editors select the one author and one book they believe to be most worthy of your attention and highlight them in our Pro Connect email alert.
Sign up here to receive your FREE alerts.